March 8, 2024

Dear Friends:

Today is International Women’s Day, March 8, 2024! We also celebrate this day on the eighth of every month by sending you a reflection.

We invite you share in this effort by sending any articles or information concerning the voice of women that you would like to share to:

Thomas P. Bonacci, C.P
[email protected]
925-787-9279

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STAND BY ME
International Women’s Day
March 8, 2024

The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.

Attributed to Gloria Steinem

Picture: Alamy 2WMX902 

Yulia Navalnaya 

STAND WITH ME

The story of patriarchy is filled with accounts of the torture, abuse, and killing of women. It baffles the imagination as to why women are the object of such cruelty. Powerful people attempting to secure their status, greed, and authority over others usually threaten women in the name of religion. They claim they are upholding “traditional values” while maintaining traditional vices. They will not long endure. The Goddess keeps rising.

The mythological language of the Goddess points to the factual and historical reality of women who exert courage, demand justice, and seek what is right in moments of conflict and threat. One such woman is Alexei Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya.

Alexei, a voice for democratic freedom in Russia, was murdered by Vladimir Putin, the political leader of Russia and a friend of would-be dictators in the world. With uncommon courage, Yulia pledged to follow in her husband’s footsteps. As the body of Alexei was finally released to his mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, Yulia declared:

“No true Christian could ever do what Putin is now doing with the body of Alexei. What will you do with his corpse? How low will you sink to mock the man you murdered?”

Today, International Women’s Day, we pay tribute to Lyudmila and Yulia and the countless women throughout the world who seek what is right and just. We pay tribute to the women who dare to dream and have the strength of character to believe the world can be a better place for all of us.

We encourage you to observe International Women’s Day by discovering the wisdom and action of the many women worldwide who are advocates for justice and peace, from Ukraine to Israel to Gaza to the United States.

“Women can save our world. We are the hope we pray for. Believe in your power and strength through all hard times. Our Earth belongs to us. Pray to the Mother of us all for this. BELIEVE!”

Carol D
San Francisco, CA
Women for Women International